American Idol XV: Trent is on Fire!
Finally, a show with more singing than talking! The Top 8 each get to sing a duet as well as a solo (although some of the song choices were nothing short of cringe-worthy).
We get to see last year’s winner Nick Fradiani perform his brand new single ‘Get You Home’. This might not be Nick’s usual song style but I like it. It is a fun song with a very distinct Maroon 5 feel to it. I’m really looking forward to the release of his debut album.
First up, the duets:
Trent Harmon & La’Porsha Renae: ‘See You Again’ – GRADE: A
What an absolutely unconventional yet delightful partnership this was. The song showcased Trent’s falsetto and La’Porsha’s powerhouse vocals beautifully. The chemistry between them was tangible and they even dressed to match. This is sure to go down as one of the best duets in American Idol History!
Sonika Vaid & Avalon Young: ‘Rise Up’ – GRADE: B
I expected this to be a complete and utter disaster but it wasn’t. Although Sonika & Avalon differ like night and day they managed to harmonize pretty well. I would have liked to see more of Avalon’s charisma rub off on Sonika but overall it was an enjoyable, solid performance.
Dalton Rapattoni & MacKenzie Bourg: ‘I Want It That Way’ – GRADE: C-
Whoever chose this song for these guys should be fired on the spot! The vocals were terrible and the entire performance was very uncomfortable to watch. I did not think it was possible for two great talents to botch a performance this badly!
Tristan McIntosh & Lee Jean: ‘I don’t Want To Miss a Thing’ – GRADE: C
Two teenagers really have no business singing song. Sure, it was slightly more palatable than the MacKenzie/Dalton train wreck but that is not much of a compliment either. Lee was all over the place with his pitch and Tristan was just, well, Tristan.
Next, the solo performances.
La’Porsha Renae ‘Come Together’ – The Beatles GRADE: A
Another stellar performance from La’Porsha! I really don’t like a one-horse race but it is very difficult to fault her performances thus far in the competition. She is such a natural performer. It is impossible to not smile when she takes to the stage. I’m hoping to see even more diversity in song choices from her in the weeks to come.
MacKenzie Bourg ‘You Are So Beautiful’ – Joe Cocker GRADE: B
MacKenzie was a Jock in high school? I never would have guessed! I have to crank up the volume on my TV every time he performs. It is an accomplished performance – much better than last week. I think he has done enough to keep himself in the competition for another week but he is going to have a ‘moment’ very soon before he becomes boring to watch.
Trent Harmon ‘Stand By Me’ - Ben E. King – GRADE: A
What a great song choice for Trent. This is the most comfortable I have seen him looking on stage. Jen calls him a ‘badass’. Ahem. I think he has become a serious contender for the title. Watch out La’Porsha, Trent is coming for your crown!
Tristan McIntosh ‘A Broken Wing’ – Martina McBride GRADE: B-
Enough with the sob stories already! She is milking her sick grandpa backstory for all it’s worth! Tristan has taken a step backward again this week. Although not a complete disaster, she once again struggled with the higher notes. I don’t know how she has avoided being in the bottom 3 for this long!
Dalton Rapattoni ‘Eleanor Rigby’ – The Beatles GRADE: B
Dalton has a super cool mom and a beautiful sister. This is a much better performance from him. Dalton is owning the stage. The energy is back and he impresses with a rock yell that Caleb Johnson will be envious of. If any of the powers that be are reading this, ‘LET DALTON SING A FALL OUT BOY SONG, PLEASE’.
Lee, Avalon (oh no not again) and Sonika are in the Bottom 3.
Avalon Young ‘Pretty Young Thing’ – Michael Jackson GRADE: B
Avalon finds herself in the bottom 3 for the second week running and I honestly can’t see the judges saving her again. As good as she sounds singing this iffy song I think it is the end of the road for her.
Lee Jean ‘Let It Be’ – The Beatles GRADE: C
Two notes into the performance and I knew Lee was a goner. If only he chose more age-appropriate songs! Lee needs to work on his pitch but with some guidance he could still have a future in the music industry.
Sonika Vaid ‘I Have Nothing’ – Whitney Houston GRADE: B-
Sonika is super sweet and has a super sweet voice but too much sugar leads to tooth decay. There is absolutely no connection with the song and are those pitch problems we are hearing? Needless to say, I am pretty sure Sonika will live to see another day.
Knowing how predictable the judges are it is really of no surprise to anyone when they decide to save Sonika. Why they have so much power this late in the competition remains a mystery. Is it not up to the viewers to vote for the next American Idol? Just let the contestant with the least votes go home already!
Tune in next week as the Top 6 becomes the Top 5 with a special guest appearance by Adam Lambert.
